Spring cover for automobiles



July 29, 1924. 1,502,649

0. F. ANDERSON SPRING COVER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed NOV. 17. 1923 IN VEN TOR. M v? MM,

4a A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 29, 1924.

warren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR F. ANDERSON, OF .SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF EYERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRING COVER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

. Application filed November 17, 1923. Serial No. 675,305.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, OSCAR F. ANDERSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Covers for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to covers for automobile springs, and it has for its general object to improve and perfect articles of this character.

\Vhile spring covers are now in very general use, the advantages which they are in tended to produce have been only partially obtainable with covers as heretofore constructed. That is, these prior covers have not fitted the springs properly and they have been defective especially in failing to accommodate the rebound clips with which automobile springs are practically always equipped. These clips interfere seriously with the proper fitting of the covers around the springs, and they result in so wrinkling and bunching the cover that the tendency of the cover to accumulate mud and dirt is increased and the operation of cleaning the cover is made more diflicult. Moreover, the clips oftentimes prevent the complete enclosur of the spring by the cover. In order to overcome these objections, it has been a common custom in applying covers to springs to cut. holes throu h the covers to receive the ends of the rebound clips and thus to make the covers fit better; but this expedient obviously defeats, to some extent, the purpose oflthe cover since it facilitates the entrance of dirt and water into the cover. But even when the cover is not cut, the rebound clips are very likely to wear holes through it after it has been in service for only a relatively short time.

The present invention deals with the problems presented by these conditions, and it aims to devise a cover which will fit more accurately, retain the grease or oil more effectually, and will generally be an improvement upon the covers heretofore used.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the .novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of'an automobile spring with one-half of the spring encased in a cover embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cover shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the three main sections of the cover before they have been sewed together {and Fig. 4 is a transverse, cross-sectional view of the spring and cover shown in Fig.1.

The cover shown preferably is made of a top section 2 and two sid sections 3 and 4, respectively. These sections are cut out of relatively non-elastic sheet material in approximately the form shown in Fig. 3, the material used preferably being leather or an imitation leather which has been coated on both sides. The top section 2 is designed to cover the upper surface of the spring, while the side sections are constructed to cover the sides and to fold over on to the bottom face of the spring. It will be seen from an inspection of, Fig. t) that the opposite edges of th top section 2 are straight and substantially parallel for the greater part of their length, but that they. are bulged at two intermediate points, as indicated at a and b, which points register with the rebound clips of the spring for which the cover is intended. The upper edges of the side sections 3 and 4 also are straight for the greater part of their length, but are bulged at the points a and b which register with I the bulges in the top section 2. Consequently, when these sidev sectionsare sewed or otherwise secured to the opposite edges of the top section 2, the bulged portions will make an enlargement in, or give an increased fullness to, the cover at these points. This construction enables the cover to fit smoothly over the rebound clips and avoids the 'puckering and wrinkling which has always becn produced heretofore in covers of prior constructions.

For the purpose of enclosing the spring more completely a flap 7 is provided at the lower edge of the side section 4, this flap preferably. but not necessarily, being integral with the main body of. the part 4 and being separated from the main body of thesection 4.- by the line of fold 8, Fig. 4. Two lines of lacing hooks 10 are set along the lower edges of the side sections so that when the cover has been folded about the spring, as best shown in Fig. 4, it is secured in place by a lacing 12 engaging the two rows of lacing hooks.

As a further means for securing the cover firmly on the spring, the cover shown is provided with a reinforcing strip 14' at its smaller end, and a clasp 15 and cooperating snap 16 are riveted to the opposite sides of the cover at this end, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, where they may be utilized to secure the cover tightly about the spring The larger end of the cover has a U-shaped metal strap 17 riveted thereto to fit over the spring, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, where it is held in place by ametal bar 18 which is bolted to the opposite ends of the part 17.

Lining strips of felt 20-20 are secured in the cover with-in the bulged portions to protect the cover from contact with the rebound clips 5. Additional felt strips 21 and 22 are also provided at the opposite endsto cooperate with the fastening means at these points to form a tight joint between the cover and the spring and also to reduce the wear on the cover itself. lhe cover shown is designed to be packed with grease, but when oil is to be used as a lubricant instead of grease, the cover is lined with felt throughout its entire length.

It will now be appreciated that this invention provides a spring cover which is far more effective than covers as heretofore constructed because it encloses the spring completely, and is not pulled out of shape by the presence of the rebound clips. It avoids the necessity of making holes in the cover to accommodate the ends of the rebound clips and it greatly reduces the tendency of the clips to wear-holes in the top of the spring cover. This tendency has been very troublesome in prior constructions because it has usually been necessary to draw the cover more tightly over the rebound clips than at other points. Since this cover fits smoothly and accurately, it not only presents a neater appearance, but it is much easier to keep clean.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. A cover for an automobile spring comprising a top section for covering the top of the spring, two side sections secured to the opposite edges of said top section and adapted to cover the opposite sides of the spring, said sections being made of relatively non-elastic sheet material and the joined longitudinal edges of said top and side sections being shaped to form a lateral enlargement in the cover to fit over the rebound clip of the spring, and fastening means for holding said cover on a spring.

2. A cover for an auto-mobile spring comprising a top section designed to cover the upper surface of the spring and having its opposite edges bulged at an iniermediate point in the length of. the. section. two side cover sections secured, respectiveiy, to the opposite edges of said top section, each of said side sections'having a bulge in its upper edge to register with the bulge of said top section whereby said bulged portions form a lateral enlargement in the cover, said sect-ions being made of relatively non-elastic sheet material, and fastening means for holding said cover on a spring.

3. A cover for an automobile sprin comprising a top section designed to cover the upper surface of the spring and having edges extending substantially parallel to each other for the greater part of the length of the section but bulged at an intermediate point, two side cover sections secured, respectively, to the opposite edges of said top section, eachof said side sections having a substantially straight upper edge with an intermediate bulge to register with the bulge of said top section, whereby said bulged portions form a lateral enlargement in the cover, and fastening means for holding said cover on a spring.

4. A cover for anautomobile spring, comprising a top section designed to cover the upper surface of the spring and having edges extending substantially parallel to each other for the greater part of the length of the section but bulged at an intermediate point, two side cover sections secured, respectively, to the opposite edges of said top section, each of said side sections having a substantially straight upper edge with an intermediate bulge to register with the bulge of said top section, whereby said bulged portions form a lateral enlargement in the cover, a flap integral with one of said side sections and extending from the lower edge thereof for substantially the entire length of said section, and fastening means for holding said cover .on a spring.

OSCAR F. ANDERSON. 

